


5 Times Uchiha Itachi's Motives Were Questioned and 1 Time They Knew For Sure

by TSPofAmbition



Category: Naruto
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Brotherly Love, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Itachi Deserves Better, Itachi Gets the Happy Ending He Deserves, Itachi is Actually Loyal to Konoha Not Conveniently When Kishimoto Wanted, Shinobi Looking Underneath the Underneath, Uchiha Itachi Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:15:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23226925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TSPofAmbition/pseuds/TSPofAmbition
Summary: Exactly what it says in the title.Because I refuse to believe that a village full of genii who knew of Itachi's adoration for his brother and distaste for killing would believe that he killed his family and tortured his brother for whatever bullshit reason they were fed.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Uchiha Itachi, Hoshigaki Kisame & Uchiha Itachi, Shiranui Genma & Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Itachi & Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi & Yamato | Tenzou
Comments: 37
Kudos: 384
Collections: Shisui and Itachi





	1. 1. Kakashi

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings and Salutations,  
> Just for fun, cause the idea got stuck in my head and I'm procrastinating.
> 
> Gimme all the comments and kudos and 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> ~Teaspoon.

**1\. Kakashi**

Kakashi hadn't expected to have the Uchiha clan heir assigned to his ANBU squad.

To be fair he hadn't expected the boy to even join ANBU in the first place. His skills, while prodigious, would be far better suited to frontline fighting instead of the Black Ops but here he was, a tiny, waifish figure with a Weasel mask in hand.

Perhaps it was because he knew the pressure of being a genius from a family that was disliked by the village or because he recognised the world weariness in those onyx eyes that were far too old for the youthful face they were set in or maybe just because he saw the way he was slowly breaking with every drop of blood spilt across calloused palms. Whatever the reasons, Kakashi had always kept an eye on the young prodigy from the moment they were assigned to the same ANBU squad.

He had never been the best teammate but carrying Obito's nindo, he knew that he could not fail the young Uchiha if only for his fallen teammate. Nevertheless, he found himself growing fond of the serious young shinobi and he bemoaned his protectiveness to the cook marble of the memorial stona time and time again. Despite the shared clan name however, he knew better than to compare the two. Not only was Itachi far superior to Obito in skill, their temperament was entirely different. Obito was determined to a fault and while he wouldn't call Itachi unmotivated, he never seemed to enjoy improving as a shinobi. Where Obito was average despite his determination, on the best of days, Itachi was brilliant despite his distaste for violence.

That was another thing, Kakashi mourned about Itachi. He was very clearly a pacifist and the pain in his eyes at taking life after life was evident. The way he muffled his emotions behind his palm during sleepless nights after successful assassinations was telling and if Kakashi's superior hearing managed to catch the near inaudible sobs, he wouldn't spill. He couldn't do anything about it either. He knew nothing of the inside politics of the Uchiha clan or its relations and he didn't know the consequences of allowing their most prolific fighter to retire but he couldn't help but feel sorry for the gentle boy forced to dress in the veneer of a killer.

That was the main reason why he hadn't believed the news when it came out. The very idea of Uchiha Itachi snapping and killing hundreds of members of his own clan was frankly so ludicrous that Kakashi had just stared blankly at the messenger for several seconds.

"What." He said flatly, not even phrasing it as a question because there was no way his kouhai, who had wept silently after every kill, had actually turned his sword against innocents.

"Sandaime sama requests that you assist in the aftermath of the Uchiha massacre wherein Uchiha Itachi killed every Uchiha aside from the youngest son of the main family." The recruit repeated and Kakashi felt like he had stepped into a different dimension. One where apparently pacifistic young men took to their homes to paint the streets in blood for no apparent reason, traumatizing their beloved younger brothers in the process.

And wasn't that a ludicrous thought? Itachi's devotion to his brother was unbelievable. It was a bit of an open secret around the ANBU base that on the rare occasions they caught Itachi smiling, Sasuke had something to do with it. Their post mission celebration was almost always interrupted by the tiny clone who stuck to his brother's back like a limpet and his team was always treated to the soft, gentle and most importantly genuine emotion when he did so. 

Determined to get to the bottom of the frankly sick joke, Kakashi had body flickered into the Hokage's office, only to discover that apparently the messenger had not suddenly lost all control over his mental faculties but was apparently telling the truth. A truth so unbelievable, that he had managed to get away with it as well, if only because no one had ever expected it to happen.

Uchiha Itachi, former clan heir of the Uchiha Clan had killed one hundred and seventy two members of the Uchiha clan, leaving only his brother alive. He had proceeded to torture the boy with a Sharingan Genjutsu, before fleeing the village to become a missing nin.

All this to apparently 'test his strength'!

Kakashi hadn't known whether to laugh or cry.

He had instead bowed his head and followed orders to clear the Uchiha compound and look for clues. He had taken his place amidst the blank masked soldiers to comb through streets paved in blood and filled with bodies and done his best to not be sick even as the number of searchers dwindled away with every newly unearthed horror.

Throughout the search, all he could think of was the lonely walk Uchiha Itachi must have made through the very same streets knowing that their blood was on his hands.

He wondered if the genius had cried for these deaths.

Strangely however with every new body he examined, he was beginning to put together a very odd picture. Every one of the deaths had been near instantaneous and with the least possible pain. An assassination, his traitorous mind had whispered.

A single sword injury to vital points that indicated no struggle, no battle and certainly nothing befitting the so-called 'test of strength' Itachi had claimed as the reason for his insanity.

As a shinobi he had always strived to look underneath underneath and right now his instincts were crying foul with every step he took through what had been labelled a senseless and tragic massacre. When he reached the Main Family's home, he knew for certain that his first impression was definitely wrong. The almost ritualistic arrangement of the matriarch and patriarch of the clan was very much deliberate and very much unlike them.

With a pensive frown he delivered a basic report to the Hokage. Trusting his instincts, he kept back his speculations and made careful note of the slight relaxing of the old man's posture when he revealed no anomalies in the preliminary investigation.

The next morning when the sun rose on Uchiha Itachi's new status as a missing nin, Kakashi kept his suspicions hidden but ears open for any source of information as to the truth behind the Uchiha massacre.

He had failed an Uchiha before and he was not about to repeat that mistake. It wouldn't do to leave a teammate behind after all.

~~~~


	2. 2. Genma

**2\. Genma**

Genma swore that if he got out of this mission alive, he was kidnapping Raidou and becoming a farmer. Surely planting crops wouldn't require him to fend off several heavily armed shinobi while supporting an unconscious partner at the same time. He might have heard horror stories about droughts and pests but they couldn't be that bad, could they? Hell at this point of time, he was ready to sacrifice his first born child to get both himself and Raidou out of this mission alive.

Gritting his teeth around the senbon needle in his mouth, he spat it wildly at one of the approaching shinobi but it fell just short of its target. He cursed, dropping Raidou's deadweight freeing both hands and sending senbon flying in all directions. While these did manage to hit the enemies, there were simply too many for him to handle and he could feel the cold hand of despair grasping at his breast.

He had lost too much blood, he realised, as he felt his vision blur. They were attacking him from a distance, tiring him out and waiting for him to fall before they put themselves in harm's way. It was clever, especially when they had the upper hand. No need for any of their number to fall to the last stand of a dying man. He spat a mouthful of blood in their direction, snarling viciously, still trying to cover Raidou's body. God, he hoped the other man was alive but he couldn't help but pray that he didn't wake just in time to be killed. He had done his best to protect the older man but he had failed ultimately.

He fell to his knees, dark spots in his vision and fire coursing through his veins. Distantly, he realised that he was flaring what remained of his chakra in the ANBU signal for help but he knew it was fruitless. The closest ANBU were in Konoha, too far away to do anything and no one else would recognise the message for what it was. He let his head fall.

Only to jerk it back up again when he felt the familiar brush of chakra against his core, flaring in a well known pattern of ally, ally, ally and treacherous hope rose against the despair in his heart. The chakra signature was familiar too, he could have sworn he knew the shinobi even as a small figure decimated his enemies with ease. The odd mixture of wind, water and fire was last seen in...

Uchiha Itachi.

Unlike the other members of his ANBU squad, Genma hadn't been too bothered by the kid on the team. He was strong enough and had a family to provide a more or less stable support system. Itachi seemed grateful for the support amidst the subtle disapproval and their relationship, while never actually close was certainly better than the any other members.

Instead of treating him like a child, Genma had made no effort to censor himself around the Uchiha heir, a fact that made Kakashi taicho glare at him warningly every time. However they never really saw each other outside ANBU barracks, running in different social circles altogether so when Genma had bumped into Itachi outside the dango store, he had been more than a little surprised.

A little prodding and a sly glance at the admittedly pretty Uchiha girl collecting her own order was proof enough. Itachi's blank expression had softened slightly and by his standards, he was practically mooning over her.

"Who's the pretty lady, Itachi kun?" Genma said, faux innocently and was promptly rewarded by the glare the question deserved.

"Uchiha Izumi." Itachi replied, recognising Gemma's stubbornness and not willing to go against it.

"Ooh! Why dontcha go say say hi?" He said, winking obnoxiously.

His suggestion was met with a blank expression but Gamma recognised the slightest worry in those dark eyes and what might have been embarrassment.

The tokubetsu jounin's mocking veneer softened slightly and he nudged him forwards gently. "It'll be fine. You're a good guy. Just be polite and get to know her. Be her friend before anything else and she'll appreciate it. Trust me, she'll like you."

He hadn't stayed to watch the aftermath of his pep talk but it seemed to have done the trick because the next time, they had bumped into each other in the ANBU barracks, Itachi had thanked him for his help in the adorably socially awkward way he did, and asked if there was anything he could do to make up the favour.

Genma had just grinned. "Date for a date, Itachi kun. I got you a date so next time I need to take Rai somewhere special, you help me out. Deal?" He then proceeded to laugh himself hoarse at the confused expression on Itachi's face.

Of course, he never did get to cash in that favour, the Uchiha massacre occuring soon after and Itachi was declared traitor, murderer and missing nin. And if he mourned the boy he had been before he snapped, it was his own business and no one else's. He hadn't taken part in the investigation, not wanting to know the details of the heinous act and had seen neither hide nor hair of the former clan heir since that night.

Until now it seemed.

The last thing Genma saw was Sharingan red eyes peering into his own and a desperate motion to protect Raidou from the missing nin before darkness claimed his consciousness.

He hadn't expected to wake again but it seemed that the world was conspiring to surprise him because when he did open his eyes, it was to a clearing he recognised as being close to Konoha's borders. Considering he had last been near the Land of Eddies, it was entirely reasonable to assume that he was dreaming.

His wounds were bandaged from what he could see, and his weapons pouch was untouched. Even the scroll, their mission objective was left alone and he couldn't do anything but stare at it in bewilderment.

It took his befuddled mind several long minutes before he remembered his injured partner and his blood ran cold. Raidou had been already injured and bleeding out. He didn't want to even consider what could have happened to the man if he hadn't been healed in the time he had spent unconscious.

Genma practically flew to where he could see Raidou lying on his back, one hand already finding the wound to stem any bleeding but he was pleasantly surprised to find stiff bandages already binding the wound. His head fell onto the other man's chest, the steady beating of his heart calming him down as each breath came in relieved puffs of air.

He didn't understand the circumstances of their rescue. Missing nin were notoriously stingy with their services and definitely with their resources. He traced the good quality bandages with not a small bit of wonder. Moreover Itachi had assisted on a mission that was for the very village he had defected from. It made no sense, especially if Itachi was as mentally unstable as everyone claimed. Which meant that there was something else going on here.

As he lifted his head, he caught sight of the paper pinned to Raidou's shirt. It was short, written in the elegant hand of a Clan heir, formally educated-

'A date for a date, Genma san.'

Genma threw his head back and laughed. There was definitely a lot he would have to find out when he returned to the village and more than a few visits would have to be paid to his contacts in T&I but he supposed it was worth it.

A favour for a favour, wasn't it?

~~~~


	3. 3. Kisame

**3\. Kisame**

Kisame's first impression of Uchiha Itachi was, 'I didn't know you could defect from a village so young' followed immediately by 'why the hell did he defect from his village so young'.

Of course later he realised that the thirteen year old child was actually one of the most prolific killers in the Land of Fire and his appreciation for Konohan assassination techniques skyrocketed. Between Orochimaru and Itachi, he wondered how on earth the Leaf managed to still win the wars without such prolific fighters on their side. So much for the softest village.

Speaking of which, Orochimaru provided another interesting encounter, especially when Itachi turned down every overture or partnership, mentorship or general acquaintanceship with the former Konoha nin. Granted it delved slightly into the creepy realm, what with the snake summoner being well into his fifties and Itachi being barely thirteen but there was none of the camaraderie that stemmed from defecting from the same village.

He knew better than most, what with Mist's high rate of defection that should he come across a fellow Kiri missing nin, he would at worst remain neutral and at best assist them in their own mission. It was an unspoken rule that was upheld most of the time simply because it was heartening to know that someone else understood the worst parts of your former village.

However, Itachi despised Orochimaru with a hatred he didn't often see even in loyal Konoha nin and he was incredibly curious about the reason. However, he knew that he would never ask either of them, his preservation instincts were strong enough that he had no desire whatsoever to earn their wrath.

Eventually Kisame and Itachi were assigned to partner each other and sent on a hunt for the Bijuu, a mission that took them through the entirety of the Elemental Nations and led to him discovering pleanty about his pint sized partner despite his anti social tendencies.

He learnt that the boy adored dango and most sweet things. He learnt that he preferred to fight with Genjutsu because he could control their thoughts before their death but unlike what he had assumed earlier, it didn't stem from a sadistic desire to torture, but because he could give them a peaceful death. He learnt that the boy was ambidextrous but used his left hand more. He pretended he didn't know when Itachi sneaked off to visit the quaint little tea houses in the villages they passed.

He learnt plenty about his partner but the one thing he never managed to find out was why the boy had ever defected from Konoha. Oh, he knew the hows well enough, managed to cobble together enough information to get the picture of a kin- slaying mass murderer who tortured his little brother before leaving the village to burn behind him but he never understood Why Itachi had done it.

Also for a so-called insane, sadistic murderer he was remarkably sane, kind and pacifistic. 

It wasn't until one particular late night discussion that he ever began putting the pieces together. They had been spending Itachi's seventeenth birthday in Yugakure, when Itachi had asked out of the blue, "Why did you join the Akatsuki?"

"Huh?" Kisame managed, slightly befuddled by the idea of Itachi voluntarily beginning a conversation. The Uchiha was completely serious, head tilted slightly away from him and gaze distant. Kisame himself leaned on the wall of the bathhouse, contemplating the question for a long minute. 

"This entire system is two faced." He began finally. "They make you have comrades and then expect you to betray them the next second if needed. Loyalty is expected, but only to the village and disloyalty to everyone else is encouraged. The Villages, the Kage's, they are all hypocrites of the highest order. At least in the Eternal Tsukiyomi, betrayal isn't celebrated."

Itachi didn't reply for a long moment and Kisame wondered what he was thinking. 

"Your primary loyalty wasn't to the village?"

"It was. That's the problem. After I killed the traitors, the fool of a Mizukage praised my 'loyalty'. Hah! Where is the loyalty in putting Samehada through a comrade's back?" He spat bitterly. "What had the village done for me? At least that man had guarded my back. All the village does is turn us against our true allies."

Itachi hnned softly but Kisame got the feeling that he had failed some sort of test he didn't know about. He grunted softly in annoyance at the thought. It didn't matter to him anyway. What did he care about some soft hearted leaf nin's opinion? 

"Would you have trusted me without the Akatsuki? I have defended you." Itachi said monotonously and Kisame scowled.

"Don't be stupid. We have a mission. Like hell you would have defended me without it."

"That man wouldn't have defended you of you weren't of the same village." Itachi pointed out. "The villages provide an ideal to be loyal to. It's because of that loyalty that the secondary loyalty to comrades comes about." He sighed, shaking his head when Kisame did not reply. With his ordinary unearthly grace, the Uchiha ignored the glare Kisame was directing his way and began walking back to the inn slowly. 

The former Kiri nin did not try and refute the statement, too interested in the sentiment behind it. Missing nin did not exalt loyalty. They certainly did not prize loyalty to a village and Kisame was really, really curious about why the boy had defected. 

Itachi was almost out of earshot when he called out to him. "And why did you join, huh?"

He wasn't prepared for Itachi to turn back with an almost pained expression on his face. An expression he knew from the veterans of the worst crimes of humanity. An expression that meant devastation more than sadness and broken more than hurt. He certainly wasn't prepared for the way the Uchiha whispered into the frigid night air, "I joined because I thought I could finally see something other than war. I joined because I hoped I could see... peace."

Kisame hadn't been able to reply to that simply hooding his eyes and allowing Itachi to return. It was another piece in the frankly impossible puzzle that was Uchiha Itachi's motives. A pacifist, a murderer, a maniac, a genius, had there ever been a more curious set of adjectives to describe the same man? One side had to be an act but for the life of him, Kisame couldn't figure out which.

The last incident which more or less settled Kisame's opinion of Itachi occured soon after they were sent to find the Kyuubi in Konoha. They may have failed to get the Bijuu but they had received plenty of useful information, not the least of which was the knowledge of the Sandaime Hokage's death and Orochimaru's obsession with the Sharingan eyes of Itachi's younger brother.

He also found out that missing nin or no, Itachi's loyalty to his younger brother was unattainable. The way even his ordinarily placid expression hadn't hidden his fury when Orochimaru threatened his brother and the way he threw himself at the Sannin with a single minded focus he had only ever seen in the soldiers on kamikaze missions.

He would die for this.

Logically speaking , Kisame knew that Itachi was an S- Ranked shinobi. He had seen the deadly assassination techniques and the efficient brutality the Uchiha could use but it was another thing entirely to watch Itachi _destroy_ Orochimaru. The Snake Sannin may be a legend but against a man who has nothing to lose and an overpowered Doujutsu, he too fell eventually. 

When he realised that Itachi had burnt a shrine of Konohan leaves, a tradition he _knew_ was for a fallen Hokage, he could feel the pieces beginning to fall into place in a picture he could hardly believe.

And finally when Kisame saw the Uchiha coughing up a truly disturbing amount of blood, beside the shrine of ashen leaves, he knew for certain that despite the bounty in the Bingo Books, despite the slash through his hitai-ate, and despite the crimson clouds on his cloak, Itachi was no more a leaf traitor than he was Mizukage.

He had never outright questioned Itachi's loyalty but he was always on guard while associating with missing nin if only because they had betrayed one side, what's to stop them from betraying another. Still he found himself more relaxed around his partner and found it ironic that proof of Itachi not supporting Akatsuki was what proved his loyalty. 

If he kept silent when questioned by leader, well, he supposed by his own ideology the boy had earned his trust by guarding his back.

~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the canon divergence tag. Itachi is going to live and for that I will need to change a couple of things. Orochimaru's death is the first. 
> 
> I always thought that it was odd that Itachi allowed the Sannin to get away with Sasuke especially when Itachi kept Shisui's Mangekyou specifically to keep Sasuke loyal to Konoha so I decided to change it.
> 
> Kisame's reason for joining Akatsuki is more or less canon. I liked how it was nearly opposite to Itachi's own reason.
> 
> ~Teaspoon


	4. 4. Tenzo

**4\. Tenzo**

Tenzo found Uchiha Itachi to be an anomaly.

He had been assigned to assess the child by Councilman Danzo but try as he might he couldn't understand what he was meant to report back to the Elder. ROOT soldiers were taught that emotions were a weakness, connections tied you down and relationships only served to further the Village.

On the surface, Itachi was the ideal ROOT soldier. He showed no emotion that was frivolous, had distanced himself from every child at the Academy and even held himself aloof from his genin team and jounin sensei. He showed no love for either his clan or his family and the only fault Tenzo could find was his status in the village as clan heir. Danzo sama would be delighted at the report.

However, Tenzo was a sensor. A brilliant sensor. One so talented that he could pick out emotions from the slightest fluctuation in a person's chakra system and despite the flawless mask the Uchiha heir wore, Tenzo could see right past it.

He could sense the immense well of loyalty inside the pint sized soldier and it grated on his own mask in a way no one had ever done before. His love for the village was so vast that it encompassed most of his being and it quite frankly boggled Tenzo's mind.

What would it be like, he wondered, to feel so powerfully, to love something so unconditionally, to stand for the Village as a defender instead of a tool? It often made Tenzo burn with jealousy to know that the boy was able to experience a love so profound it overcame his thoughts. It twisted at the ROOT operative's caged heart, urging him to see the village the same way Uchiha Itachi did.

And then with the birth of Uchiha Sasuke, the young heir's feeling saw a change. Where there was an unconditional love for the village, there was the large portion of his heart that was entirely for his younger brother. A devotion that settled into his very bones and a protective instinct that ran before his own reflexes, an urge to put his brother's life before his own.

And how that made Tenzo burn with jealousy! Not just once but twice, the boy had found something worthy enough to pledge undying devotion to and Tenzo was still stuck with a heart encased in stone and untempered by emotion.

Years later when Tenzo was out of the emotionless halls of ROOT, he was put on an ANBU team with the boy he had noticed half a decade ago. He didn't think it possible but the fiery adoration had not dimmed in the slightest. If anything it seemed to have grown stronger and he could see the hint of a third object of affection- Uchiha Shisui.

He had gotten so used to ignoring Uchiha Itachi's mask, reading directly the emotions he was feeling that he was hardly bothered by the cold reception Itachi was given. Instead he was doing his best to pull apart the threads of the fascinating mindscape he had finally been able to access.

Then came their first mission. An assassination of some minor lord and Itachi was the one to complete it. He was not in the slightest prepared for the wave of pain that washed over Itachi until he was gasping for breath himself, grateful for the mask he wore to hide his reaction.

Within ROOT, emotions were muted, barely felt past the haze of a mask they had been conditioned with and Tenzo found the numbness soothing. True, Danzo sama often gave off a slight feeling of satisfaction and occasionally irritation but it was never too much. He hadn't had to work with any shinobi outside of ROOT and so when he focussed on Uchiha Itachi he was almost knocked out by the pain in the boy's heart.

Uchiha Itachi, ruthless prodigy, youngest ANBU recruit and one of the most prolific fighters Konoha had ever trained absolutely despised killing.

He couldn't understand it in the slightest and wondered briefly if it was something he was missing because of his upbringing within ROOT.

So he turned to the source.

Or rather he turned to the rest of the team. After training, he held them back, knowing that Kakashi wouldn't come to a meeting on time and posed his dilemma, keeping Itachi's name out of it.

He received several reasons but none from Itachi. It wasn't until everyone but Kakashi had left and turned to their newest member and asked his opinion that he spoke.

"Sometimes," he said. "Sometimes it's the only way to help the ones you love. Once you reach a certain level of skill, it's not a matter of 'do you want to do it?' anymore, just a certainty because if it comes to you that easily then it must mean you enjoy it."

"There is always a choice, Itachi kun." Kakashi had replied slightly stilted.

"Like I said Kakashi sempai, sometimes it's the only way to help the ones you love."

Two years later, when he was chasing Itachi through the village after he had supposedly murdered his entire clan in a single night, he couldn't help but remember those words and the tired determination that had shone out of dark eyes.

And if he looked deeper, the loyalty towards the village still burning brightly even as he ran from it.

Kakashi sempai had said that those who abandoned their teammates were worse than trash, that loyalty begets loyalty and Konoha takes care of her own. Why then was the most loyal man he had ever met running from the village he had given his everything too? Why was Uchiha Itachi not worthy of the loyalty he deserved?

He slowed down enough that Itachi could escape, with love now tempered with grief and pain so violent it burned to even imagine. When he returned to report his failure, he was just in time to hear the man be declared missing nin and murderer.

It was laughable to see the most loyal man he had ever seen be declared traitor, to see the most pacifistic man he knew be declared murderer but Tenzo was a tool of the village and so he stayed silent. Later he would look deeper, find anomalies and share his suspicions but at that moment he could only watch as Itachi's chakra signature moved further and further away from the village until it reached outside his sensing range.

In the back of his mind he knew that Itachi would break down later, like he had for every person he killed. He would let guilt suffuse that undeniable devotion but he knew for certain that loyalty would always be in the forefront of his mind.

Because Uchiha Itachi had always loved far too powerfully and somehow Konoha had earned his loyalty.

He would do his best to prove it even if it felt wrong to think against his Hokage's words. Even if it went against the teachings he had been raised with. Even if it was not what a tool should do.

After all, sometimes it's the only way to help the ones you love.

~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I managed to capture Tenzo's mindset properly. I want him to not be able to understand emotion and be captivated by someone else's.  
> Also Mokuton is supposed to be closest to nature chakra which I headcanon helps in sensing.
> 
> ~Teaspoon


	5. 5. Sasuke

**5\. Sasuke**

Sasuke didn't think he actually knew his brother after all. 

Before _that_ day, if he had been questioned on his brother, Sasuke would have waxed poetic about how strong his big brother was and how even after his missions, he still took the time to spend time with his little brother. He would have described how Itachi had never once forgotten Sasuke like their father had and how despite his early graduation, he still taught him with patience and kindness. If asked, Sasuke would probably have described his brother as kind and brave before anything else.

It really was unbelievable how one night made present tense turn to past. 

Now, he couldn't think of his brother's strength without remembering it turned against him and the scenes that were burned into his mind like a macabre brand. He couldn't help but go over their interactions to try and see exactly how Itachi planned to teach him so that the small boy could prove to be a challenge to fight like the older demanded. 

When he heard people claim that hindsight was 20/20, he had to physically bite his tongue to stop himself from demanding they explain exactly what he had never managed to see in the lifetime he spent with Itachi. Where was his psychosis when he picked his brother up from the Academy with a gentle smile? Where was his obsession with power when he declared that Shisui was just as powerful if not more, than himself? Where was his supposed disloyalty when he sat Sasuke down on the Hokage Monument and showed him just how wonderful the village was? And by the gods, _where was his so called ruthlessness when he knew that Itachi had hated the shinobi arts with all his heart?_

Alone in the massive compound of the Uchiha clan that was now just two broken brothers, Sasuke forced himself to learn to live with the ghosts. He watched every morning as the ghostly memory of his mother made breakfast, meals he dared not touch himself. He forced himself faster, stronger, swifter as he felt the eyes of his father on him during his practices. He tried not to cry as the spectral apparition of Shisui teased him for his height and Shunshined away from his retribution. 

More than them, he tried not to watch Itachi's ghost.

He had no desire to mourn a living man, let alone one that had taken so much from him without a reason he could bring himself to accept. He wanted no part in whatever vengeance Itachi had chosen to take against the Uchiha but found himself bearing its weight anyway. He didn't want to cry for the brother he lost because the knowledge that it was change not death that had stolen his sibling was a fact couldn't escape. 

He didn't want to mourn Itachi.

But he still saw the gentle smile in the corner of his eye and heard the rare chuckle that Itachi afforded his more rambunctious actions. He still saw the dango sticks littered in the corners of the house where Father wouldn't see them. He still heard Itachi calling him 'little brother', without the mocking undertone. He still felt the ghost of a touch in his forehead when he fell and the arms that helped him up. He couldn't forget how Itachi would apologise when he was too busy to teach him, the thud of his fingers on his forehead ringing in the too-silent compound and the soft words, "Sorry Sasuke, another time?"

He hated Itachi's ghost but he loved him just the same. He hated how it reminded him of what he lost but ensured he didn't lose the memories that made him. He wanted to hate Itachi but his own knowledge wouldn't let him because he knew that Itachi wasn't a psychopathic killer. He hated the ghosts but he loved how they made him feel a little less lonely all the same.

He watched as the rest of the village lost sight of the ghosts, how they stopped turning to the friends that were no longer there, how a new weapons shop opened in place of the one in the district, how the torches that were lit during the Izanagi festival were packed away, how the red and white fan gradually disappeared from the village and how the bone white raven mask was collected from Shisui's rooms. He watched them forget but he didn't let himself do the same because as much as Itachi had loved the village, Sasuke had always loved the clan.

And Itachi had. Loved the village, that is. Sasuke knew you couldn't fake the kind of devotion that he had seen in his brother's eyes when Itachi had carried him to the top of the Yondaime's sculpted head and pointed out the hundreds of people, bustling about in the Village. The way he had sounded so much happier than he had ever been at home under the setting sun just watching over Konoha. 

There was nothing that would have turned Itachi against Konoha which meant that the Massacre had to have been retribution against the clan and that... that was what Sasuke couldn't forgive. 

What sin had the entirety of the clan commited? And how horrible did the actions have to be that Konoha's most loyal protector was willing to turn his back on her to punish it? What terrible deed had he been complicit in, for why else would Itachi have tortured him in his Tsukiyomi, and why did he have no recollection of it? He knew the capabilities of the Sharingan, every Uchiha did, but he had never realised just how deadly it was. What did it say about the doujutsu, that he, a member of one of the most prideful clans, would rather surrender in dishonour than face it again?

He could hardly admit to himself that despite the challenge Itachi had given him on the night of the Massacre, he did not want the deadly eyes that had turned Itachi into what he was. The spinning pinwheel on a blood red background were seared into Sasuke's nightmares and though he would never let Itachi know, the worst ones were always when he bore the same eyes. 

Because if they could turn his older brother who was kind and honourable into the monster who stalked his memories, then what would they do to the broken boy who wanted to _hate_?

And so he would have to disobey. Without the eyes but with the burning well of hate and love in equal measure, Sasuke would confront Itachi. Not for his death, not for revenge, not for sacrifice but for a reason. He knew he wouldn't forget that night, couldn't forgive the crime but maybe he might understand it and ultimately be forced to accept it.

He wouldn't accept any apologies and no matter what Itachi said, there would be no other time.

~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted Sasuke to focus on the clan side of things and get closest to the actual reason because he knows Itachi best of all. 
> 
> I think canon Sasuke forced himself to forget Itachi and hyperfocus on the night of the Massacre to push himself so the only difference in this Sasuke is that he allowed himself to remember the big brother he lost and realise that the story doesn't match up. 
> 
> Please give me kudos and comments, they're really motivating and get me more excited to begin writing. 
> 
> The last chapter is when Itachi comes back to the village and everyone realises the truth. Hope you
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> ~Teaspoon


	6. +1. Everyone

**+1. Everyone**

Sharp brown eyes roved over the handwritten note once more, something very much like fury lurking behind the Henge. The object in question did not seem to warrant such emotion however, rather it appeared at first glance to be beneficial to the reader. It was rather short, hardly four penned sentences in artful penmanship, but written on cheap paper, the kind available in every town shop.

It really didn't look particularly threatening and it said a lot about the amount of respect the shinobi had for their Hokage that they did not immediately dismiss her as insane. 

"Is that a mission report, Hokage sama?" Raidou asked politely and Genma laughed around the ever-present senbon.

"I wish. Iruka san will have our heads if anyone dares to submit one that short." 

"Maa, speak for yourself, Genma." Kakashi said lazily, lurid orange visible in his hand. "Iruka chan accepts my mission reports." 

Tenzo snorted. "That's because you send them through Naruto, sempai. Umino san can't get angry at him."

Kakashi waved off the rebuke. "Don't knock it till you've tried it, kouhai." 

Tsunade's eye twitched and the next minute, the desk was hitting the wall behind the four men with a roar. "PAY ATTENTION!"

In a flash the orange book was hidden and the four shinobi straightened up, looking sufficiently chastised.

Tsunade's voice softened. "I received this message four days before Pein invaded." 

She laid the paper flat on the chair, momentarily mourning the unsatisfactory carpentry of her latest desk, and read out loud.

_"I have learnt of the plan to invade Konoha by the leader of the Akatsuki, Pein. He carries the mythical doujutsu, the Rinnegan and plans to arrive on 14th April, 79 years after Konoha. I intend to send this missive in duplicate, one through the means I have been told to use and the other through my summons. Should you not receive the first, assume that Shimura Danzo is planning against Konoha."_

There was a brief silence. 

"Is it legit?" Kakashi asked.

"It carries proof that is known only to undercover Konoha nin." 

"And Danzo?" Raidou asked sharply.

"Currently in custody. Inoichi is going through his mind." 

"So you want us to find who this is?" Genma asked frowning. "Isn't that risky? We'll possibly be compromising their position, especially if it's long term infiltration."

"I'm almost certain of who this is." Tsunade said, rubbing a finger over her temples to stave off the migraine. "I'm hoping you'll tell me I'm wrong."

"Which summons were used, Hokage sama?" Tenzo asked.

Tsunade ignore his question, turning to Kakashi instead. "Your ANBU teammates were Genma, Tenzo, Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi, correct?"

Kakashi's expression blanked at the reminder of their last two teammates. "Yes Hokage sama."

"Shisui was killed in the Massacre, I'm assuming?"

"Ah, no, actually, Hokage sama." Raidou said uncomfortably as Genma's expression twisted in pain. "He committed suicide a few days before the... the Massacre."

Tsunade looked intrigued. "His body was recovered?"

"No." Kakashi cut in, sharply. "He threw himself off the cliff into the Naka River in front of Itachi." Nearly inaudibly, he continued, "There was no way Itachi would have killed Shisui."

"So his death was only confirmed by Itachi?" Tsunade pressed, though she looked apologetic at her insistence.

"No, Hokage sama, Inoichi san confirmed that Itachi saw it happen. Itachi... Itachi wouldn't have left if he wasn't sure there was anything else to be done." Genma said bitterly.

"It was believed that his death was one of the reasons behind Itachi's actions." Raidou said thoughtfully. "That somehow the pressure of the clan had got to Shisui and Itachi was taking revenge for him."

Kakashi snorted, Genma barked out a short laugh and even Tenzo looked mutinous. Tsunade eyed them carefully. "I'm guessing you don't agree with that then."

Their response was interrupted by the sudden thud of the door as it flew open. In an instant all four shinobi had their weapons out, muscles coiled as they turned to the threat only to stop short in confusion.

A disheveled Yamanaka Inoichi stood in front of them, a grey tinge colouring his complexion and his long blonde hair in a disarray. What was most alarming was the sheer fury in his pupil less eyes and the ridiculous amount of Killing Intent he was releasing.

"Inoichi?" The Hokage questioned warily.

He was nearly apoplectic with rage but at the sight before him, he visibly forced himself to calm down. When he spoke, his voice held the faintest hint of a tremble, though his face had blanked. 

"Hokage sama, the prisoner was found to have implanted ten Sharingan into his arm as well as the Shodaime's DNA. His supposedly 'missing' eye," he continued darkly, "was another Sharingan confirmed to be belonging to Uchiha Shisui and stolen while the boy was still alive."

If Tsunade hadn't been one of the most powerful shinobi in the Elemental Nations, she would have collapsed under the sheer hatred that was emanating from Uchiha's former teammates. As it was she staggered slightly and Namiashi fell to his knees, heaving. 

"Stop it, brats!" She barked. "If you can't control yourself, I'll send you out!" 

Strictly speaking, she ought to be sending them out anyway. This was important intelligence and not the sort of information that was spread willy-nilly but if it led to the same conclusion as she had reached, then these men certainly deserved to know it.

"Did you find out if the boy is actually dead?" She asked bluntly.

Inoichi sighed sadly. "He is, Hokage sama. Danzo's men found his body a few hours after Itachi reported it. They were..." He looked disgusted. "They were looking for his other eye." 

There were several intakes of breath.

"You thought Shisui was the spy." Kakashi said quietly. "That's why you called us. To see if he had left any indication of his survival with his friends."

"I _hoped_ Shisui was the spy." Tsunade replied, shaking her head before reaching for a bottle. God knows she needed it. "Because the alternative is much worse." She turned to the Interrogation specialist. "Continue, Inoichi. Leave the report on ROOT for later. Tell the rest."

If possible, Inoichi looked even more horrified. His mouth opened and closed as if he wasn't even sure of how to break the news. "The.... The Massacre. The Uchiha Massacre. It was orchestrated entirely by Danzo and later approved by Sandaime." He couldn't bear to add the honorific to the title. "Itachi kun was ordered to kill every member of the clan in order to stop a coup de etat they were planning." He swallowed once more. "In exchange for Sasuke kun's life."

Unlike the last reveal, there were no explosive responses. Tenzo's blank facade had shattered and Genma's senbon needle was lying slack in his mouth. Raidou looked like he had been slapped and Kakashi... 

Well, Tsunade was suddenly reminded that the Hatake was the strongest offensive shinobi in the village and the one most likely to succeed her.

When he spoke, gone was the apathetic drawl and the lazy slouch. He spoke slowly and with a depth of feeling in each word. "Hokage sama, what were the summons that brought the message to you?"

"Crows. Itachi's crows." 

______________________________________________________

"Like hell I'm letting you get my brother back without me!"

Kakashi looked up from where he was fastening his tanto to his back. He had never heard Sasuke show this much emotion and if not for the circumstances, he would have taken great pleasure in teasing his student.

"You are a Genin. You're not cleared for B rank missions. Hokage's orders." 

He knew immediately that it was the wrong thing to say when the swirling crimson eyes appeared in the Uchiha's face. "The Hokage's orders are what caused this situation." He hesitated. "It-Itachi is clan business either way and the least this _village_ can do is let me bring him back!"

"Sasuke..." Kakashi began but the furious boy interrupted him.

"This is grounds for dissolving the Uchiha clan's contract with Konoha." He said with a deadly glare. "I can leave the village and you can't even declare me a missing nin. And guess what, if Itachi- if _Nii san_ actually ki-killed them all to save me, then there is no way he'll come back to the village if I'm not there." He blinked sharply against the few tears that escaped his eyes.

"Kakashi..." Genma began but Tsunade spoke louder.

"Take the brat. He deserves it and more importantly, he is right. It's the least the village owes the Uchiha."

Kakashi bowed his head. "As you wish, Hokage sama."

______________________________________________________

They reached Tanzaku Gai within four days of travel. Their latest intelligence had suggested that it was where Itachi and his Akatsuki partner, Kisame were headed and the Konoha nin hoped to catch them there before they left.

"And remember", Kakashi said when Tenzo caught the familiar fire-water-wind of Itachi's chakra and what could only be described as a Tailless Tailed Beast that was Kisame's chakra. "Our orders are to give the pardon and attempt to bring Itachi back to Konoha. No lethal attacks against Itachi but Kisame is fair game." He turned to the Genin, "Sasuke, you have to attempt to get his attention. He won't hurt you, so you will carry the pardon. Clear?"

He received three acquiesces. 

"Then go." 

As if on command, Itachi stepped right into the clearing and Sasuke's breath caught in his throat. He looked bad, the bags under his eyes deeper than they had ever been. The cloak covered most of his body but the hollow cheeks showed just how much weight he had lost. Curiously, one arm was under the cloak, only the hand hanging out the front but Sasuke didn't have the time to contemplate its reason before the clearing exploded into flame from Kakashi's jutsu.

The two men dodged agilely, falling into ready stances. "Well, well, well! And which village are you from? Konoha or Kiri? Or are you just bounty hunters?" The blue skinned man called out with a smirk. He hefted the enormous sword out of its sheath and pointed it at Kakashi sensei, who had his own weapon out.

"Kakashi san." Itachi said softly and Sasuke felt something unravel in his stomach because he sounded exactly the same as he had all those years ago. "I see Konoha has decided to make a move."

Kisame Hoshigaki looked intrigued. "Copy-Nin Kakashi? You'll be an interesting opponent."

Unsurprisingly, Kakashi sensei's shoulders relaxed. "Maa Itachi kun, Konoha decided to make a rather different move, I think you'll find. We decide to do a little weeding when we found so many roots."

Itachi's expression did not change but Sasuke caught the slightest widening of his dark eyes. "I see." He said quietly before hesitating. "And what of the gardner?"

"Dead." Came the voice from above and Genma dropped from the trees in front of Kisame. "Executed. In front of the village. Your brother was delighted."

Itachi inhaled sharply.

That was Sasuke's cue. All he had to do was jump down and show the pardon but he was frozen. His arms were trembling and his legs felt numb. He could barely breathe even as Kakashi and Genma eyed his hiding spot, waiting for him. He couldn't move his body properly until he almost fell out of the tree and with an almighty thump he found himself on the ground in front of Itachi. 

He extended the scroll blindly and opened his mouth to state the pardon but the only thing that managed to come out was a tiny, "Nii san?"

Itachi flinched as if he had been struck, face going ash grey in a matter of seconds as he stumbled away from the Konoha nin. 

Sasuke had never seen his brother look so ungraceful.

"You called me-" He cut himself off sharply. "You know." His voice was hoarse and broken. It hurt Sasuke's ears. "You... know about the coup."

Sasuke nodded wordlessly.

"So do you all." 

"We do." Tenzo said, from his vantage point. Genma gave an apologetic smile and Kakashi just shrugged his shoulders.

"If you're talking about how you clearly are still loyal to Konoha then yes, it was fairly obvious." Kisame added too, surprising them all. 

"What do you want from me?" Itachi said, forcing his voice to remain calm, over the roaring in his years.

"It's a pardon." Tenzo said, quietly. "From Godaime sama. You can join the village again, they have been told the truth as well. You can even bear the hitai-ate again, though I doubt you want that."

"..."

"I'm a sensor." He replied to the quizzical look. "I know what you felt when you were in ANBU."

Slowly, ever so slowly, Itachi walked towards Sasuke and took the scroll from his hand. Their fingers brushed and Sasuke had to fight to not flinch away from the touch. Itachi broke the seal and read through its contents once, twice, three times before closing it with a quiet sound that might have been a sob and turned to Kisame.

"Please... Please tender my resignation from the Akatsuki to Leader san. Effective immediately."

Kisame grinned widely, bloodthirsty and sharp. "It will be... interesting." He sheathed his sword with a disappointed sigh. "And Samehada didn't even get a taste. Pity. I'll have to change that next time, Konoha nin." And in a blur of blue, he was gone. 

"Nii san." Sasuke said, tasting the word he had all but forced himself to forget. "Nii san, let's go home."

When Itachi turned to him, there were tears falling down his sallow cheeks as he took in the sight of his baby brother almost fully grown. He raised a trembling hand and poked Sasuke's forehead. 

"Yes." He said, and if his voice broke on the word, it was because it sounded like the happy ending he had never expected to have.

"Let's go home, Otouto."

~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings and Salutations,
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this story cuz I had a lot of fun writing it. Don't forget to leave kudos and comments because they are the best things ever to read. I have other Naruto fix its if you are interested so check those out. Also lemme know if you wanna see more scenes in this AU, stuff like Danzo's execution, or other people's reactions. Thank you for all the support and I hope you
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> ~Teaspoon


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